


A Pretty Distraction

by Bella_Monoxide



Series: Cruisin' [5]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: AU - No ZA, Blow Jobs, M/M, Makeouts, One Night Stands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-23
Updated: 2015-08-01
Packaged: 2018-04-10 21:42:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4408892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bella_Monoxide/pseuds/Bella_Monoxide
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daryl is back on the cruise ship and renews his friendship with a co-worker, while they witness an argument that involves a rather handsome looking guy...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ramblesandshambles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ramblesandshambles/gifts).



> Please leave your thoughts on the chapter in a comment - and guesses about the next chapter as well!

The next day, both Dixon brothers were in Merle's truck on their way to the port, when the older brother asked how Daryl had decided concerning the picture. The younger Dixon just nodded to indicate that he packed it, but elaborated on that after a couple minutes.

"I packed the picture and saved Gareth's number to my phone, as you suggested." Daryl sighed, and Merle padded his hand affectionately. "Who would've thought they'd see the day when you would take ole Merle's advice, huh, lil' brother?" He asked, winking at Daryl good-naturedly.

When the older Dixon started laughing, Daryl chimed in, and they reached the port in a slightly better mood. Merle helped Daryl with his bags, then he gave him a big hug and whispered into his ear. "Keep in mind what you agreed on, Daryl. Have some fun while you can, you hear?"

Daryl looked at his older brother, an incredulous expression on his face. "Merle," he inquired, "why are you saying that? You tryin' to jinx me or somethin'? I mean, you do remember your reaction when you found out about all those people the other cruise, right..?"

Shaking his head slightly, Daryl grabbed his bags and made to walk towards the ship, when he heard his brother's significant cackle. "I don't think I'll ever forget that," Merle Dixon quipped, "though I wish I could, no denying that."

They told each other goodbye and Merle drove back home after he informed Daryl that he would be there to pick him up when he came back from the cruise.

* * *

Thinking that Merle might do that just to be able to see who Daryl had picked up on each cruise by now, Daryl went through the usual drill in good spirits. Seeing as he knew some of the staff members by now, he kept an eye out for Bob during staff meeting and talked to Tyreese as well.

The latter suggested for them to meet over a beer and Daryl agreed, looking forward to catching up with the other mechanic.

Daryl and Tyreese met on the evening of the next day, since their schedules aligned then. They had been sitting together for a while already, when Daryl noticed a heterosexual couple at the bar whose parties seemed to be at odds with each other.

Intrigued, Daryl discreetly pointed them out to Tyreese, who muttered under his breath so only Daryl could hear him. "Gawd, that woman is stick thin. Totally not my type."

The barkeeper nodded in agreement, and they covertly watched as the tall, fair woman threw her long chestnut coloured hair back over her shoulder in an angry gesture, while her partner tried to reason with her.

Judging by the simple bands both wore on their ringfingers, the thin woman and the man with the crystal blue gaze were husband and wife.

Some time into the couples heated discussion, Tyreese jabbed his elbow into Daryl's ribs when he noticed the dreamy expression with which the barkeeper watched the male part of the pair. Daryl turned his gaze in Tyreese's direction, a guilty expression creeping over his features.

Tyreese smiled at him understandingly. "You know, even though he's not my type, I can see how you would be attracted, but try to be less obvious about it." And he winked at Daryl who blushed, which caused Tyreese to sober up quickly.

Noticing the funny look he cast at him, Daryl asked him what was up with that.

"Don't you know how cute you look when you blush?" Tyreese asked him, and Daryl buried his face in his hands. "See," the mechanic stated, "thought so." When Daryl looked back up, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that the couple had reached the next stage in their discussion.

Abruptly, the woman got up from her barstool and left, but not before the man with the dark blonde, curly hair had tried to placate her. She shook his hand from her arm angrily, turned on her heel and walked out in a huff.

The guy pinched the bridge of his nose for a moment, then ordered another drink. Tyreese and Daryl exchanged a look. "Wanna bet he gets drunk?" Tyreese asked, but Daryl shook his head.

"Don't think so," he stated, "he's not the type." "Right. So, about that cute blush of yours..?" The mechanic teased. Daryl rolled his eyes. "Don't get me started on that. Gareth said it just yesterday, dammit."

"Oh," Tyreese answered surprised. "So you stayed in contact?" Daryl shook his head and tried to change the subject, but it was too late. Tyreese made a come forward gesture with his hands and Daryl sighed, but went on to explain how he had run into Gareth during the weekend.

While he talked to the mechanic about it, the guy at the bar finished his drink, paid the bill and left the bar, proving Daryl right in his assumptions about him. "Now I wish we had bet on something," he told Tyreese, who shook his head at Daryl's antics, but he smiled while he did it.

They spent some more time talking about Gareth, but drifted over to other topics after a while.

Calling it a night at a reasonable time for guys who had to work the next day, they parted and went to their respective cabins.

Preparing to go to bed, Daryl stood in the tiny bathroom attached to his cabin, brushing his teeth. Lost in his thoughts, he looked into the mirror without really seeing his reflection, when he heard a knock on his door.

Not expecting anyone, he took his time to rinse his mouth and put the brush away, when another, more urgent knock resounded through the room. He hurried to the door and opened it just a crack at first, but when he peered through and saw it was Tyreese he quickly pulled the door wide open in order to let him enter.

The mechanic looked around the room in what appeared to be a nervous way, and Daryl crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned against the wall, watching Tyreese as he turned around. Noticing Daryl's pose, he began to stutter nervously.

"Look, Daryl, I know we didn't make any arrangements for tonight. But when I got to my room, I dunno, I..." He looked lost, and Daryl only hesitated for a moment before he walked towards Tyreese, opened his arms and hugged him to his chest.

Sighing against Daryl's shoulder, Tyreese smiled, then closed his eyes.

"Did you realise that you need some, shall we say, lovin'?" Daryl whispered, and a shiver went down Tyreese's spine as he nodded his head. "How about we share my bed for a while, then?" The bartender suggested, his hands already on their way underneath the mechanic's shirt, touching the warm, smooth skin on his back.

Tyreese pulled back just as far as needed to enable him to look into Daryl's eyes as he answered "Yes, I'd like that a lot." Daryl smiled at him, leaned forward and mumbled something incoherent about Tyreese's luscious lips as he touched them with his own in a tender kiss.

Tyreese moaned and returned the kiss with just a hint of pressure, and Daryl pushed his tongue out to lick at his lower lip in a silent request for access. It was granted by the opening of Tyreese's lips, and Daryl used this opportunity to deepen the kiss.

They were both moaning from the sensations soon, and Daryl pushed the mechanic's shirt up which prompted him to step back and pull it off entirely. Daryl tossed his own shirt as well and stood in front of Tyreese in just his pyjama pants, his hardening cock clearly visible through the fabric.

Tyreese licked his lips before he stated "Seems unfair still, hang on," and he stepped out of his shoes, shoved his socks off as well and stood back up. Daryl had used the time it took him to do that wisely as he had moved on to the bed, which provided Tyreese with a treat.

Taking in Daryl's leisurely displayed form, all lean muscle and chisled features, he decided to shed his jeans as well, then hurried after the bartender. He straddled Daryl's long legs and kissed his way up from the hem of his pants over the panes of his torso all the way up to his face.

They kissed again passionately, and Daryl asked "Have you been working out more, you look different?" Tyreese beamed, proud of his achievement, and nodded. They continued to touch each other, and eventually, Daryl began to rub Tyreese's length through his briefs, while he looked at him questioningly.

Tyreese closed his eyes for a moment to gather himself. When he opened them again, he appeared determined and told Daryl that he had felt an unusual urge after they had parted. Daryl, not stopping in his stroking, asked "And what urge would that be?"

Tyreese was almost certain that Daryl was getting a kick out of the situation, but he was not afraid to ask for what he wanted. "I know I've told you I'm not for that penetratin' stuff, and I usually ain't. But tonight, I would like for you to fuck me."

Daryl's pupils blew wide when he heard that and he made short work of Tyreese's briefs. The mechanic lay on his back while Daryl got up to get rid of his pyjama pants.

He got a bottle of lube out of the drawer, for Tyreese to start on spreading himself and grabbed a condom as well. When he returned to the bed, Tyreese was moaning from his efforts and Daryl began to stroke his own cock, turned on by the sight.

Watching him, Tyreese moaned "So sexy." He pulled his fingers out and got up on his knees to mouth at Daryl's cock. The bartender held Tyreese's head in place and watched him as he gave him head.

A while later, he told Tyreese to get on his hands and knees, and as the mechanic complied Daryl grabbed the condom and tore the package open. He rolled the thin layer of rubber down his length and applied some more lube just in case, moved between Tyreese's legs and lined up.

He grabbed ahold of his hips and pushed his dick between those cheeks, carefully pushing deeper into the mechanic's hole until he was seated fully inside.

Pausing to give him a moment to adjust, Daryl moved his hands over his broad back, then grabbed him by the shoulders to pull him up and flush with his own chest. He began to fuck Tyreese, but soon had to move him around so he could brace himself against the exterior wall.

Daryl felt his own orgasm fast approaching and grabbed Tyreese's leaking member to stroke him in time with his frantic thrusts, and Tyreese came just a few strokes later, clenching down around Daryl's cock.

The bartender pounded into Tyreese several times more until his own release hit him. He pulled out afterwards, got rid of the condom and collapsed on the bed next to a panting Tyreese. After several minutes to catch their breath, both men looked at each other and started grinning.

"You know," Daryl stated, "I really like our arrangement a lot."

"Hm," Tyreese gave back with a satisfied smile on his face, "you mean we get along well and fuck each other on occasion?"

"Yeah," Daryl laughed, "something like that," and Tyreese chimed in.

* * *

When Tyreese had left his cabin, Daryl went to bed again, but sleep would not come for a long time, as he lay awake pondering if he should send a text off to a certain hairdresser or not. 

* * *

Three days later, during which Daryl had met Tyreese two more times, with one out of them turning into another heated makeout session, found the barkeeper working alongside Zach some time after lunch.

They had been in the process of cleaning up the bar for the next shift, when the female part of the couple he and Tyreese had observed the other night stepped up to the bar and ordered a drink.

She clearly had been swimming in the pool and looked rather relaxed as she let her gaze drift until Zach placed a glass of juice in front of her. She thanked him and started sipping.

Zach responded accordingly, then started to whipe down the counters at the other end of the bar, where Daryl stopped to talk to him for a moment.

Unfortunately for Daryl, that was how she noticed the good looking bartender, and she started flirting with him immediately – or tried to, as Daryl was not reacting to her attempts at drawing his attention. Only when she ordered another drink did he, albeit reluctantly, interact with her.

She asked him to call her Lori the first chance she got, and Daryl had to go along with it, whether he liked it or not. After all, she was a customer, and he planned on keeping his job. But Daryl knew trouble when he saw it. Besides, Lori was absolutely not his type, even despite the fact that only few women ever were.

There was just something about her that threw him off, and it was not her physical appearance alone, or the fact that she was not wearing her wedding band, which might have just been due to her round in the pool.

Pondering over what it might be, Daryl worked at the other end of the bar again, trying to avoid her advances, and Zach threw him an empathetic glance, carefully covert so she would not notice.

While Daryl was still wondering why a woman who was married to such a gorgeous looking guy would want to flirt with anyone else in the first place, said guy turned up at the bar as well, apparently after he had spent some time searching for his wife.

Lori's reaction to her husband's, obviously unexpected, appearance was best described as mild annoyance. While Daryl tried to keep his glances towards her partner under control, said parther introduced himself to Zach and started to order a drink, when Lori put her bony hand on his arm.

Daryl could hear her telling him that she was leaving when he got there, which was a rather tall lie in Daryl's opinion, but the guy was just too good-natured to pick up on that. He just nodded, told Zach goodbye and nodded towards Daryl before he left with his wife.

Daryl's relieved sigh was cut short when Lori turned her head around to throw him a meaningful look over her shoulder, and Daryl visibly shuddered. Unfortunately though, only Zach saw it, since she had already turned back around by then.

Mumbling something close to 'oh shit' under his breath, Daryl proceeded with his work, when Zach called over to ask if they should go for coffee after their shift, and the older bartender nodded.

* * *

Despite what had panned out at the bar, Zach and Daryl entered their favorite coffee spot in good spirits and went to order, but Bob waved them away. Giggling, both bartenders went to grab a table, leaving Bob to work his magic, and soon afterwards, both had a steaming drink in front of them.

Daryl could not stop himself from shaking his head at Zach's choice again, and the teenager grinned. "Suck it up, ol' man, cause this is how we roll," he told Daryl, who promptly put his face in his hands to indicate that he thought Zach was a hopeless case where coffee was concerned.

"So," Zach started again in a tone that had Daryl looking up at him, "I take it the lady is not your cup of tea then..?" He wiggled his eyebrows, grinning, and Daryl slapped his arm in a non too playful manner.

He told Zach about the dispute between Lori and her husband Daryl had witnessed with Tyreese the other night, and his younger colleague nodded. "By the by, the name of the guy you could hardly keep your pretty blue eyes off is Rick." Zach quipped, and Daryl rolled said eyes at him.

"Keep it low key, Zach," he cautioned, as he did not need the whole coffee place to know his orientation.

Zach looked guilty and replied in a subdued manner "Sorry, Daryl. I'll try to do better." A curt nod was the only answer he got before Daryl returned to their former topic. "You know, I feel sorry for Rick. He didn't even notice his wife's attempts at flirting."

"Hm," Zach muttered in the affirmative. "He did seem to be a little on the oblivious side, didn't he."

Daryl laughed when he heard that, but had to give Zach credit for hitting the nail on the head.

Zach leaned forward and whispered "Does he ping your gaydar, though? I can't tell, mine still needs a bit of finetuning."

Shaking his head, Daryl answered "Nope, he does not. But speaking of which, did you venture any further into that direction during our days off..?" He changed the subject rather elegantly – or so he thought, as the younger man called him out on it immediately.

"You just don't wanna talk about that couple any longer so I won't tease you with how you ogled that Rick guy from afar," Zach teased him in a low voice, and Daryl blushed, casting his eyes down.

When he looked back up at Zach, his gaze was met by an admiring one from the younger man, and as he opened his mouth to speak, Daryl cut him off. "If you were just about to tell me how cute I look when I blush, you can suck it right up!" He huffed under his breath, causing Zach's jaw to drop.

"Woah," he stated, "somebody's got their panties in a twist. What brought that reaction on, Daryl?"

Sighing, the older man went on to explain, and then it was Zach's turn to shake his head a couple times.

* * *

While Daryl and Zach had a good time over coffee together, Rick had decided to go back to his and Lori's cabin. After all, why would he have to leave just because Lori wanted to be alone, he thought to himself.

He had left the cabin after yet another fight between them, but now he turned around to go back. After he had re-entered their room, Rick saw Lori frantically rummaging around in her purse, and when she heard him, the look she cast his way deserved no other description than guilty.


	2. Them There Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lori had it comin', and Daryl gets very distracted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter got rather long, but I gotta admit that I like it. Please let me know if you agree or disagree and why, cause I love to get feedback.

After Rick had more or less forced Lori to reveal the reason for her to look like he had caught her stealing, both Lori and Rick had spent the rest of the day apart, only re-uniting when it was time to go to bed.

If you could call sleeping at opposite edges of the suddenly too small bed uniting in the first place. Rick had the hardest time falling asleep, and he could tell from how she tossed and turned that Lori did not fare much better.

After a fitful and too short sleep, Rick woke up disgruntled in the morning. A look over his shoulder told him that Lori had already left the bed, and he got up to take a shower, but found the bathroom door locked. He knocked and called out his wife's name, but she told him to go away.

Rick shook his head at her antics, then asked if she had already taken it, but Lori's angry voice cut into that sentence before he could finish it. "Yes, Rick, I did the test, and before you ask any further, yes, it was positive. Now go and leave me alone!"

Rick, suddenly feeling emotionally tired rather than physically, leaned against the wall and sighed. "Lori," he said in a calming voice, trying to reason with her, " Ican't very well go out in just my pj-pants."

"Well I don't care what you go out with, just go," Lori gave back, never having been the type of person that can be reasoned with.

But Rick was not having it. "It's our room, I have a right ot use the bathroom just as much as you do. Come out now, you can sulk for the rest of the day, I'll leave you alone." Rick told her and added "I need time to think anyway."

When Lori did not answer, Rick waited, and after a couple of minutes the door opened and she rushed past, throwing over her shoulder at him "Hurry up, then," while Rick asked at the same time "It isn't mine, is it?"

Lori pulled a face that indicated he had forced her to swallow a large amount of some nasty medicine, and that was all it took for Rick to know that he had been right about suspecting Lori all along.

But when he had confronted her, she had refused point blank that she was involved with another man. Shaking his head, Rick went to shower and shave, then pulled on some clothes and grabbed his gymbag for later.

He told Lori that he would like to discuss the future of their relationship when he returned to the cabin, then left for breakfast.

* * *

 Daryl and Zach were working side by side again later on that day, when a pretty woman sat down at the bar to order a drink. As soon as Zach had asked her what she would like, the dark haired woman scrunched up her face and answered angrily.

"I really would like a good sized baseball bat, so I could go back to the pool in order to give a little more weight to my words. Darn," she cursed under her breath, "that awful woman really managed to kill my good mood."

She cast her brown eyes up at Zach again, noticed how flabbergasted he looked, and explained. "I've been swimming in the pool on deck," she waved her hand carelessly into the general direction, and Zach nodded to indicate that, so far, he was following her story.

"There was this woman who went on and on about a barkeeper that she had tried to flirt with the other day, but apparently, she had no luck." Zach cast a look in Daryl's direction, saw him already listening in and waved him closer.

"Ooops," the woman said, "that would be him, huh? Daryl?" The barkeeper in question nodded, and she continued "My name's Tara, pleased to meet you." And she offered her fist out for him to bump.

Grinning, Daryl did just that, and Tara's face split into a big smile. Daryl asked her what drink she would like and started preparing it for her while she continued her story.

"That woman," here, Tara was interrupted by Zach who told her that the name was Lori, shooting a verifying look over at Daryl who nodded in the affirmative.

"Right, Lori, then. Stupid name for a stupid woman, pfft, maybe her parents should have spent some more time thinking about her name. Or better yet, about reproducing in the first place." Tara ranted on as Daryl placed a glass in front of her.

She thanked him and he asked what Lori had done to set her off like this, and Tara explained that Lori, seemingly running out of ideas as to why a guy would not fancy her, had taken to an old standby in stating that Daryl must be gay then.

Apparently there had been a few women at the pool gossiping about him and how hot he looked in his swim shorts, and Lori could not resist to put her two cents in.

"I gave Ms Olive Oyl a piece of my mind when she used that gay line, and she didn't like it." Tara took a long drink from her glass, looked at Daryl who was still chuckling since he got a kick out of this woman, and asked "You are, huh? Well." She waved her hands around in dismissal and pondered on "Doesn't matter, that woman had it comin'."

Daryl could not hold it any longer and started to laugh out loud, with Zach chuckling right along. Tara grinned at them, only noticing that another person joined them when both Daryl and Zach sobered up quickly.

Looking to her left side, she saw a guy with blue eyes and curly, dark blonde hair who smiled at them. "This is just what I need," he stated, "happy people who are having a good day." "Why," Tara asked him curiously, "are you having a bad one?"

The guy nodded, but before he could answer, Daryl introduced him to her. "Tara, meet Lori's husband, Rick." Tara's expression was priceless. "Wait. What? You are married to Lori? That woman has a husband?" Rick nodded, looking alarmed by then.

Tara shook her head in disgust and mumbled under her breath "Oh, this just keeps getting better." Zach moved over to serve their other customers while Daryl took it on himself to explain Lori's antics to her confused husband.

After he finished, Daryl prepared a drink for Rick because he looked like he needed it and left him and Tara to talk while he worked the bar some more. A lot of covertly cast looks in Rick's direction later, Daryl noticed that he and Tara were in the process of leaving, and he walked over to tell them bye.

Tara skipped away after telling them she would meet up with her girlfriend Alisha now, and Rick looked after her, a bemused expression on his handsome face. "She is something else entirely, huh?" He asked Daryl and chuckled.

He went on to explain how he had met Tyreese in the gym on board and how they had gotten to talk. Apparently, the mechanic had told him to have a drink since his friend Daryl was working, and Rick had gone to do just that.

Sending a mental thanks to Tyreese for his quick thinking, Daryl asked if he would drop by again for a drink soon. Rick, totally oblivious to any hidden meaning in Daryl's words, suggested for them to have a drink somewhere else sometime.

He admitted that he would like to talk to another guy about his private situation, but Daryl knew that he did not give a flying tuck about why Rick would want to meet him, as long as he did. They decided to meet for dinner and Daryl suggested a bar that did not blab on staff meeting with guests.

* * *

 Daryl had met Tyreese for coffee and thanked him in person. When he told him about his date with Rick later that day, the mechanic smiled. "One of those dates where the other party is unaware of it being a date, huh?" He winked at Daryl, who nodded happily.

While he picked out his clothes for the evening, Daryl was beginning to feel nervous though. He went to their meeting point way too early, then got more nervous because of it. Rick strolled up right on time, and they went to have dinner, during which Rick started to tell Daryl about his marriage.

Apparently, he and Lori had attended the same highschool, but seeing as Rick was two years older, they did not have any classes together. Somehow though, Lori had managed to get his attention, and they went out with each other on an off, starting during her senior year when Rick was already attending college.

Daryl listened to Rick's voice more than to his actual words, feeling happy to have the opportunity of watching Rick without having to do it covertly for a change. Rick, totally oblivious yet again, went on in his explanation.

He had decided to stop going out with Lori since he did not feel like he really loved her, when she revealed to him that she was pregnant. "To make a long story short," Rick sighed, "I married her out of obligation, but never felt happy about it, though I love my son."

"Where is he now, I haven't seen him with either of you?" Daryl asked, and Rick explained that Carl was spending time with his grandparents while Lori and Rick were on the cruise to try and mend their marriage.

He went on to tell Daryl about his suspicions concerning Lori's faithfulness after he and Daryl had gone up on deck and settled down into some lawn chairs after dinner. Daryl, feeling acutely uncomfortable with the topic, cut in.

"I swear, Rick, I didn't do anything to encourage that woman," he pleaded, but Rick only smiled at him. "It's ok, Daryl, I know. Besides," he added, "it wouldn't be the first time she did that. But now she has managed to get knocked up again and I don't know what to do."

Rick put his head in his hands and sighed deeply. Daryl felt the sudden urge to wrap him up into his arms to comfort him, but tried to hold off since he knew he could not trust himself to stick to only comforting. Besides, he thought, I'm still not sure if Rick swings both ways.

When he looked at Rick again, he found the handsome guy already looking at himself. Daryl felt the familiar warmth creeping over his face, and Rick's expression morphed into the cutest smile Daryl had ever seen.

"You look good when you blush, Daryl," he said, and the bartender would have groaned if anyone else had told him that. With it being Rick though, he smiled back and thanked him, blushing even more.

As Rick made to move over onto Daryl's lawn chair, alarm bells started to ring in Daryl's head and he put a hand up to stop Rick. "Look," he said with a sigh, "there's no easy way of saying this, so I'll go for blunt." He waited for Rick to nod, then moved on.

"I'm gay, Rick. Yes, I know that is not a problem for you," he said when Rick tried to speak up, "but see, I find you very attractive, and I don't think it would be a good idea for us to get too close." Daryl ended and waited for Rick's reaction.

For a longer time, Rick just looked off into the middle distance, and Daryl noticed that they had nearly finished all the bottles of beer they had brought with them to the deck without even realising it. He did not feel really drunk, so Rick must have gotten through most of those bottles.

Even more alarmed by that, Daryl suggested for them to go back to their respective cabins, when Rick snapped out of his reverie. He stood up, swayed a little in doing so, then sat back down next to Daryl and looked him right into the eyes.

Oh shoot, Daryl thought, this guy will be the death of me, when Rick placed a hand on Daryl's knee. "Rick," he pleaded, "don't." But it was no use. Daryl found himself utterly unable to withstand the cutest pair of puppy dog eyes he had ever seen.

He leaned towards Rick while his arms wrapped themselves around Rick's body, seemingly on their own accord, as Rick tilted his head at the same time. Daryl pulled him just a fraction closer and their lips met in a slow, tender kiss.

Daryl, totally blissed out, moaned softly into Rick's mouth as they deepened the kiss, and Rick moaned right back. They both began to touch the other guy, their hands roaming over shoulders, arms, chests and backs in light caresses.

Rick's hands ended up on Daryl's shoulders, whereas Daryl's fingers were entangled in Rick's curls at the back of his neck. The bartender had just begun to move his lips over Rick's jaw towards his neck, when his sharp ears picked up on a noise nearby.

Daryl decided not to wait for security to find them like this but go for a more confrontational route instead. He just hoped that Rick would pick up on his cues.

"Come on, Rick. I'll take you to your room." He said loud enough for potential eavesdroppers to hear, as he wrapped his arm around Rick to pull him into a standing position. Rick looked confused and opened his mouth to speak, when Daryl shook his head at him.

They had just turned around to go, when two security guards shone the beams of their flashlights Rick and Daryl's way. "Everything alright there?" One of them asked, and Daryl answered him. "No, my friend here isn't feeling too well and I will escort him to his cabin."

When the guards asked about the scattered bottles, Daryl said that he would return to take care of that, and the guards nodded.

Feeling thankful that they had gotten away for now, Daryl asked Rick where his and Lori's cabin was, then went that way with him. Sometime during their walk, he felt a hand being moved into his own, and he did not have the heart to tell Rick what a bad idea it was to stroll around holding hands with a guy from the staff.

Which reminded him to clue Rick in on what they would say if anyone should inquire any further about the incident. They decided on telling them that they had known each other for a longer time and had met again on the cruise.

Rick dragged his feet the closer they got to his cabin, but Daryl convinced him to just go on with the program. "Ugh," Rick moaned, "I still need to talk to Lori about our marriage." Daryl looked at him questioningly. "Do you know what you want already?"

"Of course," Rick scoffed. "Like I told you, I never really loved her anyways, and this new pregnancy is just the straw that breaks the camel's back." He sighed. "Still. I'm not looking forward to this talk. And knowing Lori, she will fight about nothing and everything."

Eventually, they had reached the correct cabin, and Daryl acted on an impulse. He wrapped Rick into a tight hug and kissed him on the mouth, which caused Rick to sigh again, only this time it was a happy sigh. They agreed on meeting again soon, and Daryl went to clear those bottles away.

* * *

 Rick talked to Lori the next day, and after a big discussion during which she did not miss a single opportunity to throw a fit, her husband had had enough. He told her in no uncertain terms that he was aware of her unfaithfulness, and that she even tried to pull something on the cruise.

He went on and explained that he did not wish to spend the rest of the vacation with her, he would go his own ways and suggested for her to do so as well. Rick made it very clear that he would file for divorce as soon as possible, and then left their cabin to call his parents.

Apart from notifying them about his upcoming separation from Lori, he felt the need to hear Carl's voice. When he had talked to them, he went for a drink at the bar, but found that Daryl was not working.

Tara dropped by with her girlfriend in tow, and after introductions and fist bumps, they went to have coffee together. They grabbed a table, and Bob sauntered over to take their order. The three of them were talking and laughing over mugs of delicious coffee, when Daryl walked into the coffee bar.

He talked to Bob first, got his usual and went to join them for a minute, during which he and Rick agreed on another date. Over the last couple days of the cruise, Rick spent a lot of time with Tara and Alisha, and Daryl joined them sometimes.

The nights though turned out to be special for Rick and Daryl, as they managed to spend a few of them together, making out with each other every chance they got. Rick had gone back to his and Lori's cabin afterwards.

Daryl had to work the late shift on the last night of the cruise, and he had told Rick to drop by his cabin afterwards. Rick felt nervous, since he had a pretty good idea of what was to come.

They had went as far as jacking each other off during their heated making out sessions, but that was about the extend of it. Feeling determined to go to the last base this time, Rick knocked on Daryl's door long after midnight.

When it swung open, a freshly showered Daryl ushered Rick inside, and as soon as the door had closed behind him, Rick was being pushed against it. Daryl's hard body pressed up against him as the bartender kissed him passionately.

Rick moaned while their tongues danced around each other, and he clung to Daryl's shoulders, holding on for dear life. Daryl pulled away for a moment to catch his breath, then leaned towards Rick's ear and whispered.

"I want you so bad, Rick, like, you have no idea." Rick pushed at Daryl's chest with both hands, and when the bartender walked backwards a few steps, Rick looked him right into the eyes and stated "Oh, I think I do, Daryl."

He started to undress the bartender by pushing his shirt up, and in no time, both men were gloriously naked. Daryl still could not believe his luck, that such a handsome guy who was married to a woman was willing to make out with him, even though Rick had admitted some fumbles with guys during his highschool days.

But Daryl knew that did not necessarily mean anything, so he had tried not to put too much into it. He still was not entirely sure about Rick's sexuality, but found that he did not care anymore as long as he was with him.

Rick was pressed up against Daryl as they made out in the middle of his room, moaning through their kisses, when Daryl grabbed both their hard cocks and started to stroke them together. Clearly Rick had never tried that, cause he looked at Daryl as if he had used some magic trick to make them feel good.

Daryl smiled at him, then leaned forward to kiss Rick again. But when he tried to deepen the kiss, Daryl pulled back and looked at him. "What do you feel comfortable with, Rick? How far do you want to go?" He asked, and Rick moaned.

The bartender let his fingers travel down Rick's spine, brushed over his tailbone and between those cheeks, where they quickly found his back entrance. Daryl began to massage it, and it earned him a deep groan from Rick, who went on to pepper Daryl's shoulder with kisses.

When Daryl's finger breached that tight ring of muscle, Rick hissed and went rigid for a moment. "Come on Rick, let's move to the bed," Daryl told him, and he pulled at his hand to lead him over. Rick followed him willingly, and Daryl motioned for him to lay down while he got lube and condoms out of his bedside table.

He knelt between Rick's legs and reached for his tight hole with a lubed up finger while he leaned down to kiss the gorgeous guy. But before he had reached those rosy lips, a curse escaped Rick's mouth, his crystal blue eyes wide in wonder.

"Do you have any idea how awsome you look like this, Daryl?" Rick marveled, nodding towards Daryl's upper arms and shoulders.

"Stop it, Rick," the bartender gave back, cleverly using the moment to push his finger inside again, only this time it made his lover sigh. "You are just trying to make me blush again," he teased, then proceeded to kiss him tenderly.

While he continued to finger him, Daryl kissed his way down Rick's body and eventually arrived at his leaking member. He wrapped his other hand around it and engulfed the head with his lips, sucking with hollowed out cheeks.

When he opened his eyes to look up at Rick, he found him staring down in utter disbelief. Daryl let go of his cock for a moment to ask what was up with him, and a stunned Rick answered him with a question. "You like to do that?"

Daryl shook his head and answered "Well, duh! Course I do." And before Rick could say anything else, he continued to give him head, using the fact that his partner was distracted to add another finger to his back entrance.

Rick began to push himself down on Daryl's fingers soon after, and that was a sure sign for Daryl. He grabbed the condom, and while he rolled it down his length, he asked Rick if he was still on board with their program.

The only answer he got were a low moan in combination with a pleading look out of Rick's crystal blue eyes that rendered Daryl speechless.

He hurried up to apply some more lube to his sheathed cock, lined up and began to push inside while he leaned down so he could kiss Rick thoroughly.

Daryl inched forward, watching out for any sight of discomfort Rick might display, but he just held on to the bartender's broad shoulders and kissed him back just as passionately. When Daryl was finally fully inside, he waited for Rick to adjust.

He could not seem to get enough of his lover's curls, and Rick smiled when Daryl caressed his hair over and over again, tugging at the strands playfully while they kissed. Eventually, Rick started to squirm underneath Daryl's taut body, and he picked up on that cue right away.

Trying not to go too hardcore on Rick proofed to be a tough task for Daryl, as he fucked his lover with an ever quickening pace. But when Daryl changed his position slightly and brushed Rick's pleasure spot by accident, his lover let out a surprised yelp.

Rick pushed himself down on Daryl's length, and they continued to meet each other in the middle of each of Daryl's thrusts, with their orgasms clearly visible on the horizon.

Daryl began to stroke Rick's erection in time with their fucking, and was rewarded only moments later with the sight of Rick completely falling apart, which pulled Daryl right over the edge as well. They lay together afterwards, just trying to catch their breath.

* * *

 Daryl had to use the bathroom, and when he came back out, Rick had gotten up from the bed as well. The bartender found him standing at the small desk that was standard in every room, and Rick looked up when Daryl approached him.

"Daryl," he whispered, pointing at a picture, "did you betray your boyfriend with me all this time?" The bartender spared the picture a sad look, then wrapped Rick up in his arms and answered him. "No, I did not. If I weren't solo, I wouldn't have started anything with you."

He sighed deeply. "It's complicated with Gareth – that's the guy in the picture."

"Care to explain?" Rick asked, but Daryl shook his head. "No, Rick. It will just make me sad again. Let's just say I met him on the ship two cruises ago, we got something started, but we are still doing other people as well."

"Sounds fucked up, if you pardon the pun," Rick snickered, and Daryl chimed in. "Yeah, but that about sums it up. We agreed on talking about it the next time we are on a cruise together, though."

"Hm," Rick hummed, and Daryl kissed him again. "Can I stay the night?"

Daryl looked at him doubtfully, but when he lost himself in Rick's bright blue eyes again, he did not have the heart to send him on his way. Especially with Lori waiting for him. Thinking of his lover's soon-to-be ex-wife promted the bartender to talk to him about something important though.

"Rick, don't, under any circumstances, let Lori know that you've been spending time with me, you hear?" Daryl said urgently. "I mean, not that it wouldn't be nice to throw that in her face..."

Here, they both laughed at the mental image of Lori, finding out that the very bartender she had tried to flirt with had run off with her husband instead, but both sobered up pretty quickly afterwards, and Rick shook his head.

"Of course not. And by the way, Tara gave me green light to tell Lori that I did a threesome with her and Alisha, if need be. So I should be in the clear on that front." He brought that with a remarkably straight face, and Daryl thought he might lose it.

Soon after though, both men felt too tired to talk and went back to bed where they kissed and cuddled until they both fell asleep in each other's arms.

 


	3. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rick and Daryl part, but surprises are waiting for both of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would love to hear what you thought about the story in a comment!

Rick woke up to a tender kiss, and he kissed back just as softly without even thinking about it. When he pulled back, Daryl whispered "Morning," and nuzzled the junction between Rick's neck and shoulder.

Soon he was peppering Rick's skin with light kisses, and Rick sighed. He looked at Daryl and asked him if they needed to get up yet, but the answer he got was not to his liking, as the bartender nodded, pulling a frown.

"Yeah," he mumbled in between kisses, "I woke up just before my alarm went off. Wanna share my shower though?" Here, he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, and Rick had to laugh.

"Maybe I should go back to my cabin and pack, but you know what?" Rick asked, and when Daryl shook his head his lover went on to say "Fuck that, I'd rather share your shower," he grinned, and Daryl laughed out loud.

They got up and went into the bathroom to take care of some primal needs first, then got the shower running and where soon re-united in a tight hug under the spray.

They started to wash each other, which went reasonably well, but as soon as the last suds had slithered down the drain, Daryl had his hands all over Rick again. Only in a different manner this time.

Rick moaned quietly into the bartender's ear, and Daryl whispered "Rick, you got any idea how sexy you are?"

The slight blush spreading over Rick's cheeks spoke for itself, and Daryl chuckled. "You need to work on your self-esteem some, especially if you wanna go through a divorce." He half joked, and Rick nodded.

He forgot all thoughts about his impending divorce soon afterwards though, as Daryl kissed him heatedly. The bartender had one arm wrapped around Rick's waist to hold him close, while the other hand sneaked between their wet bodies to grab both their hard erections.

When Daryl started to stroke both at the same time, Rick even forgot that he was married at all, and both men came after an embarrassingly short time, moaning loudly into each other's mouths.

After they had showered their combined cum off, they stepped out of the shower and toweled themselves dry. Daryl looked at Rick and asked him in a serious manner. "What are you going to do, do you know yet?" When Rick did not answer right away, Daryl clarified his question.

"I mean, not just the divorce and all that comes with it, but you're obviously attracted to men as well. You planning on going out, gaybars 'n clubs?"

Rick smiled. "Would you give me the tour? Wait," he frowned, "are we even from the same area?"

They found that they lived in the same small town close to Atlanta, so the question of seeing each other again was clearly out in the open. Rick suggested to call each other sometime after he had his divorce sorted, or moved out of his current home at least, and Daryl agreed.

After they had exchanged numbers, Daryl had to hurry up, and Rick needed to go and pack, so they said goodbye for the time being.

* * *

Daryl had packed his stuff up, including Gareth's picture. When he had picked it up to put it back into his kitbag, he pondered how he had thought about the hairdresser a lot during the cruise, but could never push himself to send him a text.

Feeling so unsure about something or someone was quite uncharacteristic for Daryl, and it felt foreign to him. Putting it off his mind for now, he grabbed all his stuff and went to get off the ship when they had reached the port.

The guests had disembarked before the staff, and Daryl thought he could make out Lori and Rick in the parking lot, talking to an elderly couple, while a boy clung to them.

Tyreese fell into step next to him, and they talked for a moment, then parted in the lot, with Tyreese walking over towards a beautiful woman Daryl thought had to be his sister Sasha, since the mechanic had talked about her several times.

Daryl walked over to where he had spotted his brother. Coming closer, he realised that Merle was talking to somebody familiar, but both his brother and Shane were looking the other way, catching flies with their open mouths.

Following their line of sight, Daryl found himself looking at Tyreese again, and he made a mental note so he would be careful and avoid to out Tyreese by accident.

He let his luggage fall down next to his brother's truck, so both guys would snap out of it, which seemed to have worked as they suddenly noticed him. They greeted and hugged each other, and Daryl gave Shane a sideglance with a big question mark in his eyes.

"Daryl," Merle boomed, "did I just spot Tyreese Williams walking off the ship with you, or am I seeing things now?"

Daryl shook his head. "Yes, Merle, that's the co-worker I told you about, the mechanic I'm friends with, remember?"

"Oh, and you conveniently forgot to mention that he's former NFL?" Merle cried. "What's wrong with you, lil' brother? You know my favorite team!"

"What?" Daryl jested, "Did you want his autograph?" But Merle appeared to be serious, and the younger Dixon promised to ask Tyreese next time, just to keep the peace.

Turning towards the cop, he asked "So why are you here as well, Shane?"

"What," Shane grinned, "you're not happy to see me?" Merle rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath that nobody wanted to know about that, when Shane smacked his forehead and asked Daryl.

"Oh wait – I didn't tell you that my colleague went on a cruise, huh? Must have forgotten somehow. Hey, maybe you've met him! Bright blue eyes, curly hair? His name is..."

"Rick?!" Daryl groaned, staring at Shane in disbelief, "Please don't tell me it's Rick!" He pleaded, but one glance at Shane told him that his last affair was exactly the guy Shane came to welcome back, since the cop had blanched visibly.

"Did you... Daryl, I mean..." Shane found that he could not finish the sentence, and looked down at the ground between them, when he felt Merle's strong grip on his upper arm, steadying him.

"You both need to sit down," Merle told Daryl and Shane, pulling them along to force them to sit down on the flatbed of his truck for a moment.

"Geez," the older Dixon muttered to himself, "I can't believe you guys didn't even talk about this." And he shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. Merle went to get a bottle of water from the cab while Shane and Daryl were still looking at each other in shock, both of them rendered speechless.

Merle walked back, handing the bottle to Daryl. "Here, lil' brother, you both should take a drink. Sorry I'm outta anything stronger at the moment," he cackled at his own joke, but got serious again soon after, as he had spotted Rick walking into their direction.

"Yeah," Merle muttered under his breath, "that's a cop alright," and he shook his head, waiting for the drama to unfold.

"Shane?" Rick called when he had almost reached them, and Merle chuckled when Shane's head snapped up.

The cop cleared his throat before he spoke. "Hey Rick, thought I'd surprise you," and with that, Shane got up to hug Rick, who hugged him back, looking over Shane's shoulder at Daryl.

"You two know each other?" He asked, his own voice a little unsteady now. Shane answered for both of them.

"Yeah, Daryl and I met a couple weeks ago, when I went on that cruise, remember?" Rick nodded and answered "Yes, course I remember. That gave me the idea to sign up for one with Lori."

Shane had a hard time to carry on after that. "Well, we stayed in contact and that's how I know his brother, Merle, as well," he introduced the older Dixon. Merle nodded almost imperceptibly at Rick, saying "Officer," which caused Rick to smile.

"Not yet, I'm still on vacation. But I think I heard your name somewhere before..." Rick scrunched up his face, thinking, and Merle rolled hiseyes when both Shane and Daryl followed Rick's every move with bated breath, while Rick seemed to be totally oblivious.

"You've either noticed my name at the local garage, or on some record at your place of work," Merle helpfully supplied, grinning. "Last name's Dixon," he added, and Rick stated "Right, now I remember."

He shuffled his feet, apparently trying to speak to Shane again, but unable to find the words. Shane grinned his signature grin and asked "What's on your mind, Rick?"

His fellow cop looked at him for another moment, then told him about his impending divorce, and the fact that Lori had managed to get knocked up by somebody other than Rick. Shane looked dumbfounded, while Rick went on to ask Shane if he knew of an apartment he could rent for the time being.

Meanwhile, the Dixon brothers looked at each other, wrapped up in the type of silent dialogue that was only possible between brothers.

While Rick was asking Shane if he would help him move, Daryl hopped off the truck and told both Shane and Rick that they would head home now. After goodbyes were exchanged, Shane walked over to Rick's family with him, and the Dixon brothers were finally able to leave.

* * *

"So," Merle started when they had been on the road for a while, but he did not get any further, as Daryl nodded while answering "Yes, Merle, I had sex with Rick. Several times," he added, talking over his brother's groan with a grin, then muttered something about not to ask questions if one does not want to be answered under his breath, just loud enough for Merle to hear.

The older Dixon smiled at him, almost against his will, before he asked "Strange, huh? I mean, who would have guessed that you'd hit them both, without even knowing about it?"

"Yeah," Daryl answered as he looked out of the window, "now I wonder if they will ever talk about that to each other..." The brothers stayed silent for a long time, until Daryl turned towards Merle to tell him a delicate detail.

"Oh gawd, I just remembered," he groaned, "that first time making out with each other?" Daryl asked, and Merle nodded to indicate that he was following so far.

"We were on deck in those lawn chairs at night, and we almost got caught by security, can you believe it," Daryl laughed, and Merle joined in, shaking his head.

"Damn, little brother," he stated gravely, shaking his head, "the things happening to you at work." Which had them both laughing some more.

A while later, Daryl asked "Merle," non too seriously, "there wasn't any mail for me that you could forget to mention this time, huh?" And he winked at his brother, but Merle opened the glove compartment witha florish and pulled a post card out.

He presented it to Daryl as if he had suddenly turned into a magician, and Daryl almost expected him to say something like 'ta-da', or 'alacasam' when he grabbed the card out of his grasp and turned it around. Daryl smiled when he read the line that was scribbled across the card.

_'Thinking about you. Love, Gareth'_

 


End file.
